from this point we began traveling along the ourton road. in thisregion the mongols had very poor and exhausted horses, because theywere forced continuously to supply mounts to the numerous envoys ofdaichin van and of colonel kazagrandi. we were compelled to spendthe night at the last ourton before van kure, where a stout oldmongol and his son kept the station. after our supper he took theshoulder-blade of the sheep, which had been carefully scraped cleanof all the flesh, and, looking at me, placed this bone in the coalswith some incantations and said:
"i want to tell your fortune. all my predictions come true."when the bone had been blackened he drew it out, blew off the ashesand began to scrutinize the surface very closely and to lookthrough it into the fire. he continued his examination for a longtime and then, with fear in his face, placed the bone back in thecoals.
"what did you see?" i asked, laughing.
"be silent!" he whispered. "i made out horrible signs."he again took out the bone and began examining it all over, all thetime whispering prayers and making strange movements. in a verysolemn quiet voice he began his predictions.
"death in the form of a tall white man with red hair will standbehind you and will watch you long and close. you will feel it andwait but death will withdraw. . . . another white man will becomeyour friend. . . . before the fourth day you will lose youracquaintances. they will die by a long knife. i already see thembeing eaten by the dogs. beware of the man with a head like asaddle. he will strive for your death."for a long time after the fortune had been told we sat smoking anddrinking tea but still the old fellow looked at me only with fear.
through my brain flashed the thought that thus must his companionsin prison look at one who is condemned to death.
the next morning we left the fortune teller before the sun was up,and, when we had made about fifteen miles, hove in sight of vankure. i found colonel kazagrandi at his headquarters. he was aman of good family, an experienced engineer and a splendid officer,who had distinguished himself in the war at the defence of theisland of moon in the baltic and afterwards in the fight with thebolsheviki on the volga. colonel kazagrandi offered me a bath in areal tub, which had its habitat in the house of the president ofthe local chamber of commerce. as i was in this house, a tallyoung captain entered. he had long curly red hair and an unusuallywhite face, though heavy and stolid, with large, steel-cold eyesand with beautiful, tender, almost girlish lips. but in his eyesthere was such cold cruelty that it was quite unpleasant to look athis otherwise fine face. when he left the room, our host told methat he was captain veseloffsky, the adjutant of general rezukhin,who was fighting against the bolsheviki in the north of mongolia.
they had just that day arrived for a conference with baron ungern.
after luncheon colonel kazagrandi invited me to his yurta and begandiscussing events in western mongolia, where the situation hadbecome very tense.
"do you know dr. gay?" kazagrandi asked me. "you know he helped meto form my detachment but urga accuses him of being the agent ofthe soviets."i made all the defences i could for gay. he had helped me and hadbeen exonerated by kolchak.
"yes, yes, and i justified gay in such a manner," said the colonel,"but rezukhin, who has just arrived today, has brought letters ofgay's to the bolsheviki which were seized in transit. by order ofbaron ungern, gay and his family have today been sent to theheadquarters of rezukhin and i fear that they will not reach thisdestination.""why?" i asked.
"they will be executed on the road!" answered colonel kazagrandi.
"what are we to do?" i responded. "gay cannot be a bolshevik,"because he is too well educated and too clever for it.""i don't know; i don't know!" murmured the colonel with adespondent gesture. "try to speak with rezukhin."i decided to proceed at once to rezukhin but just then colonelphilipoff entered and began talking about the errors being made inthe training of the soldiers. when i had donned my coat, anotherman came in. he was a small sized officer with an old greencossack cap with a visor, a torn grey mongol overcoat and with hisright hand in a black sling tied around his neck. it was generalrezukhin, to whom i was at once introduced. during theconversation the general very politely and very skilfully inquiredabout the lives of philipoff and myself during the last threeyears, joking and laughing with discretion and modesty. when hesoon took his leave, i availed myself of the chance and went outwith him.
he listened very attentively and politely to me and afterwards, inhis quiet voice, said:
"dr. gay is the agent of the soviets, disguised as a white in orderthe better to see, hear and know everything. we are surrounded byour enemies. the russian people are demoralized and will undertakeany treachery for money. such is gay. anyway, what is the use ofdiscussing him further? he and his family are no longer alive.
today my men cut them to pieces five kilometres from here."in consternation and fear i looked at the face of this small,dapper man with such soft voice and courteous manners. in his eyesi read such hate and tenacity that i understood at once thetrembling respect of all the officers whom i had seen in hispresence. afterwards in urga i learned more of this generalrezukhin distinguished by his absolute bravery and boundlesscruelty. he was the watchdog of baron ungern, ready to throwhimself into the fire and to spring at the throat of anyone hismaster might indicate.
only four days then had elapsed before "my acquaintances" died "bya long knife," so that one part of the prediction had been thusfulfilled. and now i have to await death's threat to me. thedelay was not long. only two days later the chief of the asiaticdivision of cavalry arrived--baron ungern von sternberg.